Liberal leadership hopeful Justin Trudeau will be in Vancouver on Jan. 20 as candidates gather for the first of five scheduled debates leading up to the April 14 vote.

Photograph by: Chris Young
, THE CANADIAN PRESS

An early-January Angus Reid poll shows that, with Trudeau at the helm, third-place Liberals could become government, pushing the Harper Conservatives to second spot and reducing New Democrats to a vastly diminished force.

“With Trudeau as leader, the Liberals garner the backing of 42 per cent of decided voters, pushing the Tories to a distant second place (26 per cent), and the NDP to third (19 per cent),” reports the poll, with a margin of error of plus/minus 3.1, nineteen times out of 20.

As a basis for comparison, consider that, at present, Conservatives have 35-per-cent support.

Part of the reason Trudeau is looking like such a winner may relate to the fact he’s one of just two widely recognizable leadership wannabes, in a field of seven.

The other front-runner is former astronaut Marc Garneau, MP for Westmount-Ville Marie.

Only two other politicians have joined the race: Former Willowdale MP Martha Hall Findlay and Vancouver Quadra MP Joyce Murray.

Both women will need to boost their profiles — the vast majority of poll respondents expressed uncertain views about their candidacies.

Also declared in the race are Toronto lawyers George Takach and Deborah Coyne, and former Canadian Forces officer Karen McCrimmon.

And so, given the current roster of competitors — devoid of heavy hitters like Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney or former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna — it’s easy to see why the Trudeau star twinkles so.

But the Angus Reid poll not only has the Papineau MP besting his Liberal competitors, it has him wiping the floor with both Stephen Harper and NDP leader Tom Mulcair.

This suggests Canadians are simply hungry for something that’s shiny and new, and are attracted by Trudeau’s celebrity.

Sons and daughters of famous people always have a leg up. Think of the late JFK Jr., Stella McCartney, Nancy Sinatra.

Certainly, people aren’t endorsing Trudeau because of any popular policy positions he has outlined. He recently told a reporter he wouldn’t be proposing any elements of a Liberal platform for fear of boxing in the party.

The 41-year-old MP has been in the Commons since 2008, variously serving as Liberal critic for only minor portfolios (amateur sports, multiculturalism, immigration, youth).

He has yet to table a Private Member’s bill.

Trudeau is known more in Ottawa for his regionally inappropriate comments about Albertans, and calling Environment Minister Peter Kent a “piece of sh--” than for any principled positions he has espoused.

And until recently he told reporters he did not feel ready for a leadership run.

But if energy, charisma and charm count for anything, Trudeau, barring serious missteps, probably will snare the leadership in what many are bound to call a “Seinfeld win” — one based on nothing much.

Trudeau, who many supportive Grits insist has been underrated, probably will get help from many in his caucus — MPs who have benefited from his fundraising efforts in their ridings.

Until now, the leadership race has generated scant buzz or controversy since being formally launched on Nov. 14.

But things may heat up after next Sunday. That’s the deadline both for candidates to declare and complete payments on their $75,000 entry fee.

Then, on Jan. 20, candidates gather in Vancouver for the first of five scheduled debates leading up to the April 14 vote to replace interim leader Bob Rae.

Without a doubt, all eyes will be on Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s son. Let’s hope that Canadians will also be listening to what he has to say.

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